The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest

Award-winning author and researcher Dan Buettner has traveled the world to meet the planet’s longest-lived people, and learned nine powerful yet simple lessons that could put you on the path to longer life. Where did he find them? In the Blue Zones....

Your Likes make Audible better!

Publisher's Summary

Award-winning author and researcher Dan Buettner has traveled the world to meet the planet’s longest-lived people, and learned nine powerful yet simple lessons that could put you on the path to longer life. Where did he find them? In the Blue Zones.

Blue Zones are communities where common elements of lifestyle, diet, and outlook have led to an amazing quantity – and quality – of life. Dan Buettner shares the secrets from four of the world’s Blue Zones. Buettner’s extensive study uncovers how these people manage to live longer and better, but found in the everyday things they do: the food they eat, the company they keep, and their very perspectives on life. In The Blue Zones, they become yours to follow for life!

The message is one of hope and practical advice on how to maximise both length and quality of life. An excellent book, well read and easy to listen to, with great supporting website. At first I thought the findings might be summarised more quickly, and wanted to just go to the last chapter. Perhaps I would have if I had a paper copy. However, in hindsight, I have the concepts more firmly committed to memory by listening to the case studies. Like church sermons or university lectures, the stories serve me as hooks on which to pin the lessons.

I love the way the reader attempts to use appropriate accents for the different nationalities of the people he refers to. I am a Kiwi, and so had to laugh a bit at his New Zealand accent attempt, but then I am sure he would laugh at my take on an American accent. Good on ya mate for having a crack at it!

Is it easy to put this advice into practice? I would say yes. I bought a bag of Almond nuts and enjoying this new addition to my diet. My own recommendation is whole grain porridge with sultanas and apple mixed into it.

Read it today ... you will get this time investment back many times over I expect. Cheers.

I guess this is one of those books that you could actually get the abridged version and probably get the most out of it more efficiently. Ironically enough, that's probably just the thing the book talks about that people should avoid :)

Based on the book cover this looks like one of those annoying self-help books which almost turned me away from this. But since I googled out Dan Buettner and looked at his credentials of writing to the National Geographic, it somehow made me convinced that this might be worth checking out. I still wish they'd make a different cover, even it seems shallow or non-important thing for many.

And the book kinda was worth checking out. The stories from people Dan interviews are fascinating and their lifestyles are worth investigating. This really made me think of how modern people live their lives and how much time have changed things that are important to us. Not all of us can live in the mountains and herd sheeps and not have any income at all, but there's still lessons top be learned.

It's also fascinating to think of how much these people have actually seen throughout their lives. How very much times have changes during the past century. I mean some of these people have been living post WWI era, seen the Titanic being built and lived through the Great Depression, WWII to the birth of the modern science and all. It's also funny that in one of the people Dan interviews, the centenary man says he picked up some sweets from the market place to his son, who likes'em a lot. For some reason I automatically imagine someone's child to be a giddy schoolboy who is excited to get some candy from his father. Turned out that his son was over 80 years old :)

If you're not interested in the stories of old people or are just expecting a list on how to add more years to your life, just google it out. There's no magic pill or solution obviously, but Dan makes a pretty decent list at the end of the book to summarize the things science either knows or suggests that add up to a healthy life. They all make sense.

I have to say that throughout the book the religious part somehow annoyed me, even it was kept at bay most of the time. It is said in the book that being religious or having spiritual habits adds up to more years, mostly through routines and social contacts, and it's never even suggested that afterlife has anything to do with it. Yet it sill bothers me how big part the religion seems to be in all of this, but that's probably subjective and not a real problem.

I loved the National Geographic Article it was based on and wanted to know more... wished it delivered. Lots of misprounounced words and the whole piece felt kinda like generalizations of what healthy people do in other places.

What made the experience of listening to The Blue Zones the most enjoyable?

This book's merit rests on its interesting content, in my opinion, rather than its prose or overall delivery. The speaker was OK but the performance was not as important as having something worthwhile to contribute on this important subject.I was surprised to discover some of the societies and cultures referred to in the book are under attack by modern lifestyles and are in danger of disappearing. For example younger Okinawans are no longer blessed with the probability of living to 100+ years anymore because the majority have adopted western ways and so have succumbed to modern health issues like heart disease etc.. Therefore the book is a useful reference source for a vanishing world.I am sure there are 'drier' academic papers on specific Blue Zones but this effort was engaging as it gave an all round view of the subject from a humanistic viewpoint.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Although efforts at storytelling were appreciated I really wanted facts and on this point the book was able to deliver. However the author did also make mention of some fascinating centenarians and that helped keep the momentum going.

Any additional comments?

Anybody who has reached an age when longevity seems important will benefit from this book as the authentic research it includes, whilst not strictly speaking "scientific" is full of anecodotal advice which I think many will find useful. I say this because I did. For example now I always bring a bag of nuts with me to work as a snack rather than eat biscuits or pastries. Its a small change but add them all up and its greater than the sum of its parts.Granted some things like a glass of red wine indulged by Sardinians daily is now common knowledge but overall there were enough suggestions to keep me busy with further research for some time to come.

This is one of those books that is very interesting, full of fascinating information and intriguing facts but you’re glad it’s short!

I am not sure how many tips I will be adapting in my daily routine, but perhaps some suggestions will sink into my subconscious and I’ll apply them in the future without even realizing where I picked up the advice.

It’s kind of reassuring to know that I am doing some things right, like: walking (I do 5km per day / 5 days per week), spending time outdoors everyday (the walks), eating tomatoes (I do about 6 day a week), keep meat to a minimum, don't smoke, maintain an average weight… and my favourite tip of all: drink red wine daily… DAILY!!! HOORAY!!!

Interesting descriptive information about these populations, but compared to what? People with statistics background will likely be disappointed. On the other hand, it probably won't hurt to adopted many of the lifestyle activities identified in the book.

Your report has been received. It will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.

Can't wait to hear more from this listener?

You can now follow your favorite reviewers on Audible.

When you follow another listener, we'll highlight the books they review, and even email* you a copy of any new reviews they write. You can un-follow a listener at any time to stop receiving their updates.

* If you already opted out of emails from Audible you will still get review emails by the listeners you follow.